Herbert Girodat of Hanover seized the moment, playing INSTANT TOP UP to win the jackpot, which had grown to $157,964.50 when it was won!
Herbert, an 83-year-old great grandfather, said he was playing his in-store PLINKO chip drop when he won $20. “I used the winnings from PLINKO to purchase another ticket and added TOP UP,” he shared while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings.
Herbert said he was surprised to see the bells and whistles go off. “I’d hoped I was going to win but never imagined it would happen! I called my wife from the store and asked if she was sitting down.” He continued, “I told her I just won $157,000. She was in shock.”
The winning moment had Herbert in such an excited state he had to take a few moments in his car to let it set in before driving. “My hands were shaking too much. I was stunned.”
Herbert is going to take his wife on a weekend getaway to celebrate this win. “I’m going to tuck this away and use some for renovations around the house to make things more energy efficient,” he concluded.
OLG is booking in-person prize claim appointments at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto. We strongly encourage those with claims between $1,000 and $49,999.90 to submit them online or mail them in. Submitting claims online is fast and secure. Customers with prizes over $50,000 are asked to call 1-800-387-0098 to discuss available prize claim options.
INSTANT TOP UP can be added to any eligible INSTANT ticket purchase for $1 more. The top prize is a jackpot that starts at $25,000 and grows with each play purchased across Ontario until it is won. Free Play and cash prizes are also available. The retailer scans the barcode on the back of the INSTANT ticket and collects the $1 to activate the INSTANT TOP UP video on the lottery terminal screen. If the video displays three matching tiles, win the corresponding prize. If a “TOP UP Bonus” tile is revealed, win a Bonus prize.
The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on 10th Street in Hanover.
